2006-11-26T01:32:00.000-08:00

THE NEW SCHOOL OLD FASHIONED:

You Need:
1) At least two sugar cubes.
2) Some ice.
3) A glass. A rocks one.
4) A very large bottle of Scotch. The Glens - Livet or Fiddich - are recommended.
5)Angostura Bitters. 6) Blood Orange Bitters. I use the ones (and perhaps onlys) from Stirrings. [they also make gift sets. And it's the Holidaze.]*
7)Club Soda or Citrus Soda. Depending on whether you're dieting or like your drinks sweeter.

The process is about the journey/the journey is about the process:

A sugar cube. Bitters. Generously. Soak. Muddle.

Another cube. A heaping dollop of the blood orange bitters. A heavy splash of the soda. Enough to cover the cube. Muddle it like it was your first time.

Add a hint of ice.
Whollop of scotch. Whatever your daddy drank.
(I'm using Glenlivet 12. And a whollop = 3.5-4 ounces. Yeah. It's like that, it is. Two at the very most.)
Some more ice. Return with the soda. A splash, another, then a dash.

God have mercy on you if you try to garnish this. But if you must? Two maraschinos, stemless. They'll sink.

I like this drink like I like my sourdough - toasted. Cheers, mate.

The occasion: Whenever new traditions are made or old ones are broken.

FOOTNOTES:
* - in the real world, the Blood Orange Bitters are available at Cap N Cork, on Hillhurst/Virgil, In Los Feliz. BevMo may have them but I don't know if they do, yet.

If you do it right, it sure looks pretty, as seen above and to the left, to the left.

NICK AND NORA DINE